The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-08-21
NEW TROUBLE FOR BRITAIN.

A Secret FanaticaI Organization Makes Its
Influence FeIt In India.
Special to the indianapolis Journal
LONDON, Aug 20.-The Kukas, secret
ciety, is again exciting the anxiety Of the Indian
government, and Lord Dufferin, the Viceroy of
India, has teleeraphed the home government for
reinforcements in order to suppress them. This
organization of fanatical disciples of Ram Singh,
the Sikh reformer, has increased in numbers Of
late to an alarming extent, and grave fears are
entertained that an uprising at an early date
is meditated. The teachings of Gurn Monak,
the founder Of the religion they profess, have
been widely departed from in the practice OF the
present generation of the Sikhs the aim of Ram
Singh having been, not to modify their creed,
but to turn their lives from luxury and to regu-
late them according to the doctrines Of purity,
sobriety and abstinence from worldly pleasures
taught In their sacred book, the "Granth." They
would be in sympathy with such a movement il
it were not conjoined to political ideas and aspi
rations- The sacred writings of the Sikhs con-
tain passages that are regarded as prophetic of
their future supremacy in the Punjaub, and
Ram Singh and his followers were held
TO believe that the time was near at hand for the
restoration of the gories of the race. The fall
of the Mogul empire and the sacking of Delhi
are believed by the Kukas to have fulfilled
part of the prophecy, ano the accomplishment of
the remainder Ia believed to be delayed only by
the sins of perversion OF the present generation.
Ram Singh began to preach his doctrines about
thirty-five years ago, and when at the height of
his influence be is believed to have had 10000
followers ready to obey his orders with
the unhesitatine alacrity that relig-
ious and race fanaticism supplies.
The Of Kukas popularity given
to them, is due to the evidence of the excited
shoutings and howlings by which I heir religious
meetings marked. The became
powerful and many of its members entered the
service OF the native states policemen and
soldiers until the British government brought
pressure to bear upon one native prince to limit
the number of kukas he was taking into his
pay. Ram Singh had score of rrusty su bordl-
mates In various parts of the Puniaub, and his
messages were conveyed with incredible CELEBRITY.
On the arrival of his emissary at a village
the first disciple to whom he gave the
word would stop whatever work he had in
hand and proceed with all possible haste to con-
vey Ram SinRh's command another stage of
Its journey. AT last Ram Singh. with his chief
colleagues. had TO be removed to British Burmah.
where most of them have since died. But if the
knkAs no longer remain a sect. they are still
in existence a secret society, which is both
powerful and extensive. The recent unfriendly
attitude of the Mahaj arab Duhleep Singh toward
the Indian government gives increased impor-
lance to this curious association, which, in the
past. had exploited the fanaticism of the Sikhs
in murderous outrages. In morals it aims at
ascetic ideals in politics at the restoration of the
throne of Rungeet Singh The instruction in
AfGnanistan has created intense excitement
among the natives in the Indian government.